2 standard rooms vs. 1 family suite

[SumWhrOvrThRanBo]

My family & I will be taking our first trip to Disney NEXT Fall- yes I'm a guilty over-planner! I'm trying to decide on 2 standard rooms or 1 family suite- it will be 2 adults, 2 juniors, 2 children & an infant-- opinions please...

 

[robbies]

When I was looking at the same thing. It came down to money. The family suite is really only two normal rooms put together with a small kitchenette. For $50 more a night, which for our ten days would have cut into our disney toy money, you are only getting a microwave now that all the room come with a frig. With the family suite you could have some privacy but with your large crew this may not be possible anyway. If a microwave is worth the $50 a night to you then it is a consideration.

 

[HM]

Unless you need a small kitchenette, I'd say go for the two rooms. With two rooms you get four real double beds. With a suite, you'll get either one queen bed, and two pull down double size beds (AoA) or one queen bed and three pull out beds of various sizes (ASMu).

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

My family & I will be taking our first trip to Disney NEXT Fall- yes I'm a guilty over-planner! I'm trying to decide on 2 standard rooms or 1 family suite- it will be 2 adults, 2 juniors, 2 children & an infant-- opinions please...

Don't feel guilty at all! Planning a year in advance is a very smart thing to do, especially with a large family. Going to WDW for the first time can be overwhelming so it's good to break it down into small steps and take your time. Have you seen the new Art of Animation resort? I bet your kids would LOVE it! I haven't seen the family suites in person yet but all the photos look amazing. I can't imagine a better place to spend a first trip to Disney with a family your size. There are a lot of pics online of the different themes. I'm not sure if you have boys or girls but I know my boys would FLIP for the Cars themed suite. I think Disney was very smart to create these rooms because it allows families to be together in one area instead of having to split between 2 rooms. The benefit of having the larger eating area and kitchenette makes you feel more at home... here are some pics:

I just grabbed those off a google image search, there are tons more pics of the other themes to check out.

The big difference between the family suite and getting two rooms is you won't get 4 double beds. But by not having all those beds you open up more floor space and have more of a villa type "home away from home" feel.

This thread should be a huge help: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2966053

 

[WDmommyof4]

Are you planning on doing AoA or the suites at ASMu? If ASMu, one distinct advantage of the suites over two separate rooms is that they are all in preferred locations and there isn't an extra charge for it. My boys always loved the suites there, because there was more of an opportunity to get their own bed. You could share the bedroom, have the two small children share the pull out couch and the two juniors would be able to have their own beds. Also, I would think there would be more room for the infant bed in a suite. We always went with a suite over two rooms, but that is because I was usually alone with four young children and didn't want to chance not getting connecting rooms.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Don't feel guilty at all! Planning a year in advance is a very smart thing to do, especially with a large family. Going to WDW for the first time can be overwhelming so it's good to break it down into small steps and take your time. Have you seen the new Art of Animation resort? I bet your kids would LOVE it! I haven't seen the family suites in person yet but all the photos look amazing. I can't imagine a better place to spend a first trip to Disney with a family your size. There are a lot of pics online of the different themes. I'm not sure if you have boys or girls but I know my boys would FLIP for the Cars themed suite. I think Disney was very smart to create these rooms because it allows families to be together in one area instead of having to split between 2 rooms. The benefit of having the larger eating area and kitchenette makes you feel more at home... here are some pics:

I just grabbed those off a google image search, there are tons more pics of the other themes to check out.

The big difference between the family suite and getting two rooms is you won't get 4 double beds. But by not having all those beds you open up more floor space and have more of a villa type "home away from home" feel.

This thread should be a huge help: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2966053

You are so right! The suites look great and it took me a while to decide, but when it came down to it I went with two rooms for two reasons. One, I hate the idea of fixing beds when we roll into the room real late at night after spending all of that time in the parks. The last thing I want to do is make a bed out of a chair or what ever. Two, the cost was quite a bit more over our 9 night stay. It wasn't worth it to me. I will also note that we don't spend much time in the rooms at all. Time is money at Disney and we spend most of our time in the parks.

We booked two rooms, one with a king bed for DH and me, and one room for the kids. It was fantastic! The mess stayed in their room. DH and I had quiet time, two TVs and plenty of space. I didn't miss having a tiny kitchenette at all.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just so you're aware, you're not guaranteed to get connecting rooms. Since you say you booked a king bed, it sounds like you're staying at a Moderate resort? There may not be a lot of king rooms that connect to other rooms.

 

[tennessee]

You can get a king at the values, have been doing it for years. I would go with the 2 rooms. Just better and the price for a suite is way to much compare to two rooms.

 

[SumWhrOvrThRanBo]

Does AOA offer standard rooms? I would really like to stay there. No garuntee on connected rooms kinda makes me nervous.

 

[twinboysmom]

Does AOA offer standard rooms? I would really like to stay there. No garuntee on connected rooms kinda makes me nervous.

The little mermaid section is standard rooms but while WDW does everything to accommodate connecting rooms and usually do so, there is a very small chance you might not get them.

 

[AntFarm]

I don't mean to hijack thread, but does anyone know the availability or likelihood of getting a king bed room that connects to a two double bed room at one of the values or moderates? This would be ideal for our family instead of getting a suite. Which resort would be our best bet for getting this kind of set up ( we are open to all values and moderates)?

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't mean to hijack thread, but does anyone know the availability or likelihood of getting a king bed room that connects to a two double bed room at one of the values or moderates? This would be ideal for our family instead of getting a suite. Which resort would be our best bet for getting this kind of set up ( we are open to all values and moderates)?

There is no way to really know ahead of time. It all depends on room availability the day you check in. Disney doesn't X out a room for you when you book it. They pre-assign rooms a few days out, but even then, the assignment is not written in stone.

Bedding types, room location, and connecting rooms are all requests. You have no way of knowing ahead of time if those requests will be honored or not.

I want to add too that out of 6 times requesting connecting rooms, we have been denied them one time. So odds are good you will get them if requested, but they are not a given.

 

[meredith1]

Our next trip it will be me, my H and three children (5 yrs and twins that will be 3) as well as, my parents-so, seven of us as well. We will be there 5 nights and six days.

I priced out a two bedroom suite at the GF -it was $18,000 with tickets and DxDP

Then, priced out two queen deluxe bedrooms at the GF w/ MK view, tickets and DxDP- $15,000.

Finally I checked into renting points from David's DVC Vacation rentals for a two bedroom suite at BLT w/MK view-I believe it sleeps 9 people.

Two bedroom suite, MK view, at BLT- $3250 (five nights)
Deluxe Dining Plan $2068 (based on 2012 prices)
Tickets- $2483 (6 day park hoppers) We were given tickets so, we don't have to pay for tickets. : )

Total to rent DVC points and stay at BLT in two bed suite is- $7801.00-That's a whole separate trip to Disney-doing everything first class. My jaw nearly fell open when I was quoted that 18,000 at GF and that wasn't even a MK view!!!!

If you decide on renting at a DVC resort, you'll also get the full kitchen and washer and dryer in your unit-that's priceless with the kids.

 

[AntFarm]

Our next trip it will be me, my H and three children (5 yrs and twins that will be 3) as well as, my parents-so, seven of us as well. We will be there 5 nights and six days.

I priced out a two bedroom suite at the GF -it was $18,000 with tickets and DxDP

Then, priced out two queen deluxe bedrooms at the GF w/ MK view, tickets and DxDP- $15,000.

Finally I checked into renting points from David's DVC Vacation rentals for a two bedroom suite at BLT w/MK view-I believe it sleeps 9 people.

Two bedroom suite, MK view, at BLT- $3250 (five nights)
Deluxe Dining Plan $2068 (based on 2012 prices)
Tickets- $2483 (6 day park hoppers) We were given tickets so, we don't have to pay for tickets. : )

Total to rent DVC points and stay at BLT in two bed suite is- $7801.00-That's a whole separate trip to Disney-doing everything first class. My jaw nearly fell open when I was quoted that 18,000 at GF and that wasn't even a MK view!!!!

If you decide on renting at a DVC resort, you'll also get the full kitchen and washer and dryer in your unit-that's priceless with the kids.

What an amazing deal! I am going to have to take a second look into renting DVC points. The reasons I haven't looked further into this before is because it is nonrefundable and renting points for a two bedroom always seemed so high when we could take advantage of other big discounts; but our dream has always been to stay at BLT, Kidani, or VWL